BAY AREA DATELINES

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, January 20, 2000

San FranciscoSen. Dianne Feinstein is calling for a new Southern Crossing bridge spanning the Peninsula and Alameda County.

"Something has to give," said Feinstein, D-Calif. "We want to sustain and (increase) the Bay Area job base and to do this, we need to look at additional capacity."

Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, Feinstein spoke of a Southern Crossing bridge, which would connect Alameda County with San Francisco and San Mateo County, an idea that was first proposed more than 40 years ago and that she opposed in 1972, she said.

"The public is different today," Feinstein said. "There wasn't the gridlock in 1972 as there is today. Freeways in those days were not backed up before the Bay Bridge."

President Trump addresses nation after mass shooting at Florida SchoolWhite House

But Feinstein said earthquake retrofitting for the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge is the first priority. Gov. Davis agreed.

"The most immediate concern is to rebuild the Bay Bridge," said Michael Bustamante, a Davis spokesman. "Beyond that the governor is open to looking at all the options to decrease traffic."

Caltrans spokesman Greg Bayol said the idea of another bridge is feasible and addresses the Bay Bridge backup, which is the worst in the Bay Area, he said. But because it's only a concept, it isn't highest on the list of Bay Area traffic moving schemes, he said.

State adds $50,000

to Xiana reward fund

VallejoThe state of California will kick another $50,000 into the reward fund for missing Vallejo girl Xiana Fairchild, bringing the total of the fund to $61,000.

Gov. Davis signed a proclamation Wednesday granting the additional reward money at the request of Vallejo Police Chief Robert Nichelini, the maximum amount allowable under law. The reward is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for Xiana's disappearance.

Xiana, 7, was last seen at her mother's Vallejo apartment complex on Dec. 9 as she left for school. Davis' proclamation said the reward was necessary, in part, because the investigation has been hindered by a lack of credible information and eyewitness accounts. &lt;